


Hold Me (Tender)

by FoolishGlint



Category: Transformers: Prime
Genre: Cuddling, M/M, Touch-Starved
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-10-09
Updated: 2020-10-09
Packaged: 2021-03-08 01:22:00
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,255
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26907319
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/FoolishGlint/pseuds/FoolishGlint
Summary: Starscream considered himself a mech of few weaknesses (despite his track record and multiple weaknesses). He did not need to rely on others, and while most of the seekers in his squadron had spark bonded to each other, he never saw the need for spark bonding or prolonged contact. Often though Starscream’s fellow soldiers had forced him into a seeker pile, claiming that the bonding made them stronger as a team. Despite his protests, Starscream secretly enjoyed the attention, though he didn’t keep it as secret as he thought. But Vos was now in ruin, and the surviving seekers had died out long ago.
Relationships: Starscream/Steve the Vehicon
Comments: 11
Kudos: 45





	Hold Me (Tender)

Starscream considered himself a mech of few weaknesses (despite his track record and multiple weaknesses). He did not need to rely on others, and while most of the seekers in his squadron had spark bonded to each other, he never saw the need for spark bonding or prolonged contact. Often though Starscream’s fellow soldiers had forced him into a seeker pile, claiming that the bonding made them stronger as a team. Despite his protests, Starscream secretly enjoyed the attention, though he didn’t keep it as secret as he thought. But Vos was now in ruin, and the surviving seekers had died out long ago.

As the years dragged on, Starscream’s performance became lacking, and he became more irritable. In short he was a total nightmare. To others and himself. The vehicons got up extra early to use the wash racks before Starscream used up all the hot solvent. He pilfered blankets from the berths and claimed he needed them because of his sensitive frame. The vehicons have learned to keep whatever sweets they obtain in a safe hiding spot because if not, Starscream would “confiscate” them. His moods were erratic and unpredictable. All vehicons steered clear of Starscream, for fear they would be the target of his ire.

Everything changed in a single day. It was business as usual, Starscream was going through the strategies with the Vehicon Seekers, when one of them, a new one, tripped on his pedes. And fell into Starscream, causing them to fall onto the ground, vehicon on top of Starscream. The audience of soldiers gasped and hushed. Starscream was staring at him intensely, no doubt with anger as he scrambled off of the prone Air Commander stuttering multiple apologies. Starscream stood up, frame shaking.

“Since you messed up something as simple as standing, there is no need for you to continue today’s training. Or tomorrow’s training. In fact, no need to come in at all. You would do so much better in Sanitation, surely you can’t mess that up,” Starscream spoke in a low, dangerous voice. Somehow it was even more terrifying than when he was shouting. The drone nodded and ran away in fear. The rest of the training was done in apprehension, the troops desperate not to set him off again. Only when they were in the wash racks did the vehicons exvent in a sigh of relief.

“Damn Gary, did you see how pissed off he was,” said Mark as he turned on the solvent spray.

“Poor kid.”

“He’s fragged.”

“Steve is going to be so jealous when he hears about it though,” said Gary. There was a wide murmur of agreement amongst the drones. Steve was infamous among the vehicons for being the only one stupid enough to have a crush on the unstable SIC. 

Sure enough, when the group returned to the barracks, the unlucky vehicon was cornered by Steve who was barraging him with questions.

“What was it like, looking into his optics and feeling his chassis? Tell me, tell me!” Steve was asking excitedly.

“It was terrifying Steve, I saw my short life flash before my optics,” Xerxes answered flatly. This didn’t deter Steve in the slightest.

“Oh how lucky you are, to have been so near him. My spark is burning with envy.” Steve’s mood suddenly dropped.

“He didn’t yell at you, he stared you passionately in the optics and didn’t even hurt you,” Steve said dejectedly.

“Yeah it was real passionate.”

Unable to detect sarcasm, Steve slumped onto his berth, helm in his servos. It was a pitiful sight. Sighing, Gary sat beside him and comfortingly put a servo on his shoulder.

“Is there a chance for me at all, Gary?” he asked sadly.

Gary wanted to tell it to him straight, that there was no chance in pit that Starscream would ever feel the same way about him. But Steve looked so sad and miserable, none of the vehicons had the spark to break to him. 

“Yeah there is, Xerxes just happened to trip into him, it's not like he confessed his love to him.” 

Steve perked up, and Gary knew that he had a bad idea in mind. 

“That's it! I’ll finally confess to him. If I tell Starscream how much I love him, then maybe he’ll give me a chance.” 

“Steve no, that's a terrible idea, what if he decides to terminate you right then and there,” Gary could not stress enough emotion into how bad this decision was. 

“Then I’ll just write a love letter and leave it by his room, and while watching secretly I can gauge his reaction.”

It was still a bad idea, but slightly better than his other one. Besides, Gary doubted that Steve would get past the writing portion of his plan.

“Yeah, you do that buddy.”

Steve grabbed a datapad and began to compose a letter eagerly. The rest of the vehicons shared a look and headed to the mess hall. As they passed the med bay they heard a familiar conversation. Starscream was speaking angrily and Knockout was dryly replying. They didn’t stick around to hear what fresh complaints Starscream was flinging at the medic. 

The next few days were filled with tense flight drills and an even more high strung Air Commander, were it possible. And then when Mark and Gary were casually gossiping by the energon dispenser, Steve ran up to them excitedly. 

“Guys! I finally finished my love letter,” Steve exclaimed. Mark and Gary exchanged a look of horror.

“Okay, so the first few drafts were too long and made me look a bit obsessed, but I finally managed to pour all my feelings into a short paragraph,” Steve continued babbling, unaware about the Looks.

Gary grabbed the datapad from his servos and began to read.

My fair and gorgeous Starscream,

You are more beautiful than the rising sun. Knockout can’t hold a candle to your lustrousness. Everytime I see you, my spark beats with the intensity of a thousand stars, and I always make a fool of myself. I love how when you concentrate on something, you chew your bottom lip. I love how your wings flutter when you’re happy. I fell in love with you when I first saw you smile. You move with grace, even when you’re angry. I am utterly and truly in love with you. Please be mine. 

It was worse than he thought. Starscream would definitely kill him if he found out it was him. 

“Don’t give this to him, I’m serious,” Gary said to Steve as stern as he could. Steve snatched the datapad from his servos and ran away.

“You don’t understand my feelings Gary!” he wailed. Gary could only watch in despair as Steve ran to his death. 

In front of Starscream’s room, Steve paced nervously. It was the moment of truth, once Starscream read his love letter then he would know that someone was in love with him. Steve jumped as the sound of high heeled pedes echoed through the halls. It appears Starscream chose to retire early. Steve was frozen as Starscream approached him. 

“Why are you in front of my room?” Starscream asked in that husky voice that sent chills down Steve’s spine.

“Oh, um, nothing really,” Steve had lost his nerve and attempted to hide the datapad behind his back. But to no avail.

“Ah, Soundwave must have a report for me,” Starscream said as he grabbed the datapad from Steve. Steve felt extreme panic wrack his frame as Starscream began to read the love letter. His face went blank and his optics were cold. Steve turned to run, but Starscream grabbed his arm in an iron grip.He punched in the code for the door, and dragged Steve into his room, the door locking behind him. Steve fell to the floor, and Starscream towered over him imposingly. 

Was this the end for Steve?

_________________________________________________________________________

As Starscream began to pick apart the weaknesses and mistakes that the Seekers had made, a vehicon tripped over nothing and fell onto him. The weight of the vehicon pressed into him, and his entire frame suddenly became acutely aware of the bot sprawled over him There was a thrilling charge from where the drone’s servos were touching him, and Starscream could barely keep tears from spilling from his optics. The vehicon got off him quickly, with fear. Determined to keep a false air of control, Starscream got up and sentenced the vehicon to janitorial duties.

It wasn’t as harsh as his usual deriding punishments, but Starscream was still shaken up by the way his body had reacted to the feeling of some else's touch. After the drills were over, the vehicons scattered, and he made his way to the medbay. 

“Knockout, I have a virus,” Starscream barged in without knocking and assumed a position on the medical slab. Knockout looked at him disdainfully as he continued to clean his surgical tools.

“What is it this time, Screamer?”

“It’s Commander Starscream to you, and I seem to have contracted a virus that makes me react to others’ touch.” 

Knockout stopped and pursed his lips, thinking.

“What exactly are the symptoms?”

“A vehicon tripped into me and my frame felt weird, it felt like he was lightly shocking me with his servos,” Starscream said with a bit of trepidation; “Now fix me.”

Knockout turned away and began to look in his medical files. After a few moments of searching he paused, and faced Starscream again.

“Irritable, anxious, insomnia, and lack of empathy. It makes sense now,” Knockout said calmly.

“What makes sense, and choose your next words carefully,” Starscream snarled with ire. 

“You’re touch starved,” he said simply. 

Starscream glared at Knockout, who was used to the Commander’s wrath by now. 

“That's not a thing, you’re trying to make a fool of me.”

Knockout chuckled ,”No need to make a fool of you, you self sabotage yourself enough.”   
Ignoring Starscream's glare he continued.

“Touch starvation is very real. Research has shown that regular contact with others is integral for mental and physical health. Individuals who do not engage in physical contact will become depressed and easily agitated.”

Starscream grimaced ,”Disgusting.” 

Knockout shrugged ,”It is what it is, and there’s only one cure.”   
He smirked mischievously.

“So, do you want to let Doctor Knockout cure you,” he said smugly. 

Starscream threw a datapad at him and left in a huff. 

Once in the safety of his room he finally relaxed, muscles untensing. He walked into his private wash racks and turned on the solvent spray. The solvent began to cascade heavily on his frame, but didn’t feel as comforting as it normally would. Starscream turned up the heat, but it didn’t feel as good as when the vehicon was over him. He sunk to the floor and sobbed, remembering back when his fellow seekers used to insist on always caressing him. 

The solvent grew cold and harsh. Starscream turned it off and dried himself. He sunk into his berth and pulled the multiple blankets over himself. Tears stained the pillows. Starscream despaired, it has been four million years, and yet he hadn’t run out of tears. 

The following days he was more snappish and irritable, the terror of the Decepticon army. No one dared approach him, his temperment more unstable. 

As Starscream walked down the halls to his room, he saw a nervous vehicon pacing in front of the door. No doubt that he was terrified of Starscream’s wrath, which is why he started shaking when he noticed Starscream approaching him. 

“Why are you in front of my room?” 

The vehicon started to stutter in a surprisingly cute way.

“Oh, um, nothing really,” he said shyly as Starscream noticed the datapad he was failing to hide behind him.

“Ah, Soundwave must have a report for me.” It must be a nightmare of a report if the vehicon was this afraid. He wrenched the datapad from the other’s servo and began to skim it. Immediately, Starscream was bombarded with a love declaration. His mind froze momentarily, and he noticed that the vehicon was trying to escape. Starscream grabbed his arm tightly and dragged him inside his room.

Starscream let go of him as the door automatically locked and he fell to the ground. Starscream could feel the fear emanating from the poor drone as he stood over him. Adorable, he thinks he’s going to die. Starscream situated sat on the edge of his berth and crossed his legs. The vehicon looked so confused, but Starscream smiled coyly. This was perfect, he could use this drone to satiate his needs.   
“What is your designation?”

The vehicon attempted to stand up, but Starscream gave him a look and he stayed on his knees.

“My name is Steve, sir.”

“Well Steve, I have been on my pedes all day, I hope you can alleviate a bit of my pain,” Starscream said as smoothly as he could manage.

Steve brightened, and moved in closer. Starscream felt the same thrilling charge from before as Steve gently took a pede in his servos. His fingers began to softly glide over the metal, gently applying pressure. Starscream sighed as Steve massaged the base of his heel, easing the discomfort that accumulated throughout the day. Tenderly Steve massaged the kinks out of his pede. Starscream was greatly enjoying being pampered, it was bliss. 

Steve moved to the other pede and continued his adoring ministrations, Starscream humming approvingly.

_________________________________________________________________________

Steve couldn’t believe his good luck, he had expected a slow termination but instead got closer to his beloved Commander. Starscream looked so beautiful, his optics were gazing softly at him and he was poised elegantly on the berth. Everytime he massaged a knot out, Starscream would sigh gently and flutter his wings a little. Steve could do this for hours. 

Eventually Starscream stopped him.

“It’s been a pleasure Steve, but I need my beauty sleep.” Starscream smiled genuinely at him, and Steve felt his spark beat erratically. 

“By the way, if you tell anyone about this, I’ll rip off your legs and stuff them down your intake.” 

Shaken by the threat, Steve stumbled out of Starscream’s room, feeling a bit scared but more happy than anything.

“Same time tomorrow,” Starscream said with a teasing wink.

Steve blushed heavily and hurried back to the barracks. When he returned, the other vehicons looked at him and his distinct lack of wounds with surprise.

“Hey, you’re back. And unharmed,” said Xerxes with puzzled emotion. Steve shuffled anxiously. He couldn’t tell the others what had happened.

“Yeah, I threw away my love letter. I couldn’t do it.” Steve’s spark was pounding so loudly he was sure that the others could hear it. 

“You did the right thing Steve,” said Gary, who comfortingly threw his arm around Steve in a hug. The rest of the night went by uneventfully, but Steve couldn’t stop thinking about the intimate moment he shared with Starscream. And he had asked him to stop by tomorrow too! Steve’s mind was buzzing with excitement, and sleep didn’t come to him until late into the night. 

The next morning the other vehicons noticed that Starscream was uncharacteristically less uptight. The other Seekers were confused but weren’t about to question a miracle. The training drill went smoothly with Starscream actually providing feedback on how to improve. His constant anger was no longer present, and he seemed so calm. The trip to the wash racks was rife with gossip and theories.

“I bet that Starscream was replaced by a clone, and the real Starscream is tied up at the bottom of a lake.”

“I think he had a mindblowing frag.”

“I’m pretty sure we’re all suffering from mass hallucinations.”

“Obviously we’ve all been put in pods by aliens who are harvesting our processors and there’s a glitch in the simulation.”

“No Deeter, no.”

When Gary entered the barracks he bumped into Steve, who seemed to be in a hurry.

“Where are you off too Steve,” asked Gary casually.

“Oh um, I’m going for a walk. To stretch my legs. Which I have,” Steve stuttered as Gary narrowed his visored optics at him. 

“Do any of us really have legs?” piped up Deeter; “We might all be processors in jars and we don’t even know it!”

“Deeter no.”

While Deeter began another spiel about his conspiracies, Steve managed to slip away in the chaos. He ran down the halls, eager to not keep his beloved waiting. He knocked on the door, and it slid open to reveal Starscream, breathtaking as usual.

He scowled ,”Took you long enough.”

Steve was blurting out apologies as Starscream dragged him inside. He positioned himself elegantly on the berth, waiting for Steve to approach. With complete adoration Steve crept closer, aching to touch the beauty in front of him. 

_________________________________________________________________________

Starscream was vibrating with anticipation as Steve edged closer, and he slowly massaged his sore pede. As Steve began kneading the underside with gentle servos, Starscream let out a contented sigh. The way the vehicon paid attentiveness to the curves and edges was magnificent. Steve moved on to the other pede, continuing his lavishing attention. Every swipe of a servo sent shivers up Starscream’s spine. It was true, a part of him had longed for this kind of contact. 

Steve stopped, and Starscream looked at him quizzically.

“I haven’t told you to stop, have I?”

Steve ducked his helm nervously ,”Forgive me, I was just wondering if your back was aching as well.”

Oh, well what a surprise.

Starscream curled his lips into a coquettish smirk ,”Eager to serve, aren’t you.” He ran his sharp claws under Steve’s jaw, and felt him shiver. Was it in fear or anticipation?

“Of course, my lord.” Starscream's systems jumped at Steve’s subservience.

“Then who am I to deny your request,” Starscream said as he gracefully rolled onto his front. He heard Steve’s vents hitch and he could feel the others' optics roaming along the curvature of his frame. 

“Like what you see,” Starscream said in what he hoped was a seductive voice. It seemed to have the desired effect though, as Steve ran his servos over his back with trepidation. Steve curled his servos into fists and began to knead out the knotted muscles. Starscream arched into the touches and moaned. Steve’s touches left his metal tingling with charge wherever they wandered. His fingers traveled between the delicate seams of Starscream’s frame, lightly scraping the wiring. It felt deliriously intoxicating. Starscream could feel himself losing his control.

“Th-that's enough Steve.” The vehicon stopped, seemingly disappointed. 

Starscream sat up and cleared his throat ,”You have served me well tonight, Steve. I will be expecting the same level of quality from now on.”

Steve lit up at the praise, and Starscream felt a bit of fondness stab at his spark. He led the vehicon out the room, and blew him a kiss as the door closed.

_________________________________________________________________________

Steve practically skipped back to the barracks. He couldn’t stop thinking about the dazzling seeker and the kiss. The other vehicons looked up from their activities as Steve waltzed, clearly something good happened to him. 

“Where have you been Steve?” asked Gary, who was engaged in a thrilling game of Among Us with several other drones.

“You know, my other walk was so good I had to take another today too,” Steve was sure that they could smell the blatant lie radiating from him. Gary had an excellent bull-shit detector. Gary narrowed his optics at him, but didn’t push the subject further. 

“Hey Steve, come check out my flowchart,” shouted Deeter from the other side of the room. “Basically it's about the proper measures to take if someone becomes a bloodthirsty energon vampire.”

“Deeter, shut up or I’ll kiss you,” said Xerxes with frustration. 

“What.” 

“I said shut up or I’ll hit you!”

Ignoring their conversation, Steve opted to instead crash into his berth and swoon over how beautiful Starscream had looked tonight. He couldn’t force the huge smile on his face to go away, and he had never been more happy for the visor covering his face. Steve slept that night and dreamt of shining silver jets soaring through the clouds. 

The next week went similarly like this, Steve escaping from the barracks like clockwork and returning significantly happier. And Starscream was getting more and more easier to deal with, and productivity had increased by 30 percent. 

Then one day it happened.

Just a regular night, Steve hovering over Starscream and massaging his back. He got bold and swiped a servo over one of Starscream’s wings. Starscream immediately stiffened, and turned to Steve, absolutely livid.

“Get out,” Starscream hissed through clenched dentas. Steve backed off, scared of the unexpected shift in Starscream’s mood.

“GET OUT!” he shouted as Steve scrambled off the berth and ran out the room. Even as he ran, terrified, Steve noticed the tears present in Starscream’s angry optics. 

Gary looked up from the weekly board game of Knife Monopoly that he had been playing with Mark and Flint as Steve walked in sullenly. The atmosphere changed as the vehicons began to whisper amongst themselves. Steve noticed, but didn’t care, instead just flopped into his berth, pulling the covers around him like a cocoon. He drifted off into a fitful sleep rife with sadness. 

The next day, as Steve was moping, the Seekers came in groaning and scuffed up.

“Did you see how angry Starscream was today?”

“Who spat in his energon?”

“I think my shoulder is dislocated.”

“Starscream was on another level today. I’d hate to be the mech that pissed him off,’ Gary mentioned dismissively.

Steve flinched, and burrowed deeper into the covers, wishing to disappear. This was all his fault, it was because of him that Starscream got so enraged. Feeling suffocated all of a sudden, Steve threw the blankets off himself and strided to the door. None of the vehicons stopped or questioned him, already used to his daily “walks”. This time though, he really was going for a walk. The decks of the Nemesis was a popular spot for vehicons to sit and watch the night sky. Thankfully there was no one else there. 

Steve sat down, dangling his legs over the edge, feeling the cool breeze drift over his frame. The sound of jet engines brought him out of his lull, and Steve felt absolute panic set in as Starscream transformed before him, looking at him with an intense stare. Instead of terminating him on the spot, Starscream sat next to Steve, staring up at the stars. 

“You know, in the beginning, it was you who sought me out. You were the one who wanted my affections,” Starscream was speaking but Steve wasn’t sure if he was hearing him correctly.

Starscream looked at him with a sort of bitter sadness, a sadness that had been persisting for centuries, and Steve’s spark clenched.

“It's been millenia since someone has touched my wings in such a way. The last ones to do so were my fellow seekers, and they perished so long ago.” 

The morose tone pained Steve. Starscream let out a shuddering sigh as he hunched into himself, wrapping his arms around his frame.

“When you first arrived with your sappy declaration of love, I was certain that it was a cruel prank,” Starscream chuckled at Steve’s indignant posture ,”I assume that was not the case. It was nice, having you pay such attention to me. You made me feel like I was someone of value.”

“S-sir-”

“My designation is Starscream. Do take care to remember it,” Starscream said in a teasing tone as Steve blushed.

“Starscream, I promise that I'll never leave you and I'll never make you sad. I’ll love you to the end of my days.,” Steve cupped Starscream’s helm in his servos and gazed intensely into his optics.

“Promise?” Starscream whispered breathily

Steve pushed his helm into Starscream’s, nuzzling him gently. 

“Promise.”

Starscream embraced him tightly, sobbing as Steve caressed his frame, holding him in his arms. It felt so good to be held, to be loved, to be supported. Resting his helm in the crook of Steve’s neck, they stayed there for a while, until Steve noticed that Starscream had fallen asleep. He picked up the resting Air Commander in his arms, and walked back to his room, taking care to not be seen by anyone else. Steve knew the code for the door by now and entered the room. He gently placed Starscream on the berth and turned to leave, but Starscream grabbed his servo. 

“Please. Don’t leave me.”

Steve needed no further encouragement. He laid in the berth, arm around Starscream’s waist, his helm on Steve’s chest, and they both slept peacefully.

_________________________________________________________________________

Gary was chatting with Mark by the energon dispenser again, when a hush went over the mess hall. Starscream walked boldly in, and he was headed straight for Steve. Fear came over Gary, and he was sure that Xerxes would be cleaning Steve’s remains off the floor today. Starscream approached Steve, and to everyone’s surprise, flipped up his visor and kissed him on the cheek.

“See you after training, darling,” Starscream purred into Steve’s audial as he blushed. He left as quickly as he came, but the entire mess hall remained silent in shock. Gary looked at Steve with astonishment, but he only smiled with a lovestruck look on his face.

Gary took a sip of energon as he said ,”Does this mean I have a chance with Soundwave?”

**Author's Note:**

> I finally got this done. It took me a while. I hope you enjoy it.


End file.
